This UFC Light Heavyweight Contender Knows A Thing Or Two About Suit Sizing

Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson is known as one of the top fighters in the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division. He can end any speculation in terms of where he ranks by beating current champ Daniel Cormier and taking the belt on Saturday.

While we all know what he brings to the octagon, you might not be familiar with his stylish side. He’s not the champ in the dapper division — that title probably goes to Conor McGregor — but it’s another realm where Gustafsson is a top contender. We caught up with the stylish Swede before UFC 192 to get his tips on rocking a suit:

Buying The Right Fit
When we’re first shopping for suits, one of the early questions is whether to go off-the-rack or go the custom route. Obviously, the size of the budget and the size of the dimensions are the biggest factors that come into play. “As a 6’5” guy, the suit fit is extremely important,” says Gustafsson. “Getting a suit made for my body means it will fit in all the right places. For me, I look for a suit that fits well in the arms and shoulders and allows me to move….after all, I’m a fighter, so it needs to give me room to breathe.”

An off-the-rack suit is the happy medium most of us accept. It’s more cost effective than a custom-made suit and while it’s not perfect, we can mostly find the right fit — even if it requires some minor altering. A custom suit starts off with your measurements, so it will be a more precise fit from top to bottom and you’ll get to choose your style and fit, but there’s a cost attached to that.

Indicators Of A Bad-Fitting Suit
Regardless of whether it’s off-the-rack or custom, the biggest faux-pas is wearing a suit that doesn’t fit you. “There are so many ways to tell when it’s off,” says Gustafsson. “Short sleeves, short pants, too tight in the shoulders and back. Or anything that makes you look like you are wearing your dad’s suit, instead of you own.”

We’re long past the days of the boxy look from the 1990s and it’s easy to tell if you’re not wearing something that fits your body.

Impress With A Vest
A three-piece suit brings a vest or a waistcoat into the equation. It has a functional purpose as it makes you feel held together, allows you to take off your jacket without wondering how badly your shirt is ballooning underneath and it augments your style a cut above the two-piece men in the room.

A photo posted by AlexThemauler (@alexthemauler) on Sep 10, 2015 at 12:40pm PDT

“Vests are for more than just function — they are fashion,” adds Gustafsson. “They help change up the look and give you variety.”

As with the suit itself, the key to the vest is to make sure it’s tailored properly. It can’t be too loose or you’re going to feel like you’re swimming in an extra layer of clothes.

The Pocket Square
There are lots of theories out there on pocket squares. Should it match the tie? Should it differ in pattern from the shirt and tie? Do you even put one in or is it too ostentatious?

“I tend to keep my suit look casual but I like a good pocket square,” says Gustafsson. “It can change the look of any suit and give it an ‘old school’ feel. My preference is to make the square unique — different from the tie and suit color, so it really pops.”

Shoes & Socks
Matching the shoes to the suit is actually becoming easier by the day as the range of what’s acceptable seems to be fluid and changing. There was a time where only dress shoes were acceptable but then loafers came into the equation and now even sneakers work.

“I change the shoes up depending on my mood and the style I want for the day. Sneakers, loafers, anything really goes,” Gustafsson reveals. “I’m an athlete, so giving a suit a casual look is important to me. Sometimes I wear sneakers with my suit or I will wear a blazer, tie and collared shirt with jeans.”

And what’s the plan with socks? “No socks for me. Socks make you look too stuffy,” answers Gustafsson. There are so many options from the flashy styles to the basic solid colors. And some people — like Gustafsson — prefer to go sock-free so that they completely stay out of the equation.

Ties
And then there’s the all-important tie. It used to be the centerpiece, but nowadays the casual, tie-free look is popular and bow ties have been trendy in hipster circles. Gustafsson likes the idea of a tie but suggests not to make the tie the centerpiece, though.

“If I wear a tie, I keep it loose so it still has a casual vibe,” suggests Gustafsson. “I usually go for a dark, thin tie. Keep it simple and let the rest of the outfit speak for itself.”